Psalm 22:1
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?”
The prophecies relating to our Lord have not only declared what works he should do, and what sufferings he should endure, but even the very words that should be uttered both by his enemies and himself. Whatever reference the words of the text might have to David, there can be no doubt but that they principally relate to the Lord Jesus; and in him they received their accomplishment. When he had hung about six hours upon the cross, we are told, “he cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli! Eli! lama sabachthani? that is to say, “My God! my God! Why have you forsaken me?” Matthew 27:46.” Perhaps he cried with a loud voice in order to show, that his natural strength was by no means exhausted; and that his dissolution, which immediately followed, was voluntary; but he revealed also by that, the intenseness of his sufferings, and fulfilled in the minutest manner the prediction before us. Waving all illustration of the text as applicable to David, we shall endeavor to elucidate it as accomplished in his great antitype, and shall consider:
I. The occasion of our Lord’s lamentation.
Jesus, in the hour of his extremity, was forsaken by his heavenly Father.
We are not to suppose that the godhead actually separated itself from his manhood; but that the sensible manifestation of the divine presence was withheld from him. This was necessary in various points of view. A banishment from the gracious presence of God was part of the punishment due to sin; and therefore it must be inflicted on him who had become the surety and substitute of sinners.
Occasional suspensions, also, of the tokens of God’s love are the means whereby he perfects the work of faith in his people’s hearts; and “it behooved Jesus to be made like unto us in all things;” “though he was a son—yet he must learn” the nature and the difficulty of “obedience (yes, and be made perfect too) through sufferings, Hebrews 2:10; Hebrews 2:17-18; Hebrews 5:7-9.” Nor could Jesus properly sympathize with us, which, as our great High-Priest, he ought to do, unless he himself should endure the very temptations, which we, in our measure, are called to sustain, Hebrews 4:15.
It was a just ground of lamentation.
Never had he endured anything like this before; when he said, “Now is my soul troubled, it is exceeding sorrowful even unto death!” a voice was uttered from Heaven, “You are my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” When he agonized in the garden, an angel was sent from Heaven to strengthen him; but now that he was more fiercely than ever assaulted by all the powers of darkness, his heavenly Father also seemed to conspire with them, and withdrew the only consolation that remained for his support. What a dreadful aggravation of his sufferings must this have been! To cry, and even “roar” for help, and find God “far from helping him,” to have him, in whose bosom he had lain from all eternity, hide his face from him! How could he but lament? Surely in proportion as he loved his heavenly Father, he could not but bewail the hidings of his face.
Lest however we should form a wrong conception of our Lord’s conduct, let us consider,
II. The lament itself.
Let us not suppose that there was the smallest mixture of impatience in it.
When our Lord first undertook to stand in the place of sinners, he said, “I delight to do your will, O God.” When the full cup of God’s wrath was put into his hand, he still acquiesced; and, though his human nature shrunk back for a while from the conflict, he committed himself to God, saying, “Not my will, but may your will be done.” Nor was the lamentation uttered on the cross any other than what every godly man, under the hidings of God’s face, both may and ought to utter! Psalm 77:1-3; Psalm 88:9-10; Psalm 88:14.
Jesus’ lamentation expressed the fullest confidence in the Father, and exhibited the brightest pattern to all his tried people.
Not for one moment does Jesus doubt his relation to his heavenly Father, as we alas! are too apt to do in seasons of deep affliction. His repetition of that endearing name, “My God! My God!” shows how steadfastly he maintained his faith and confidence; and teaches us, that, “when we are walking in darkness and have no light, we should trust in the Lord, and stay ourselves upon our God.”
We may improve the subject by considering,
III. The lessons we may learn from Jesus’ lamentation.
There is not any part of doctrine or experience which will not receive light from this subject. But we shall content ourselves with observing from it:
1. Christ’s unfathomable love for His people!
“God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us!” Romans 5:8
“Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God!” Ephesians 5:2
Truly the love of Christ has heights and depths that can never be explored. From eternity past, He knew all that He would endure as the atoning sacrifice for our sins—and yet He freely offered Himself for us!
Never shall we form any just conceptions of His unfathomable love for us, until we behold that glory which He left for our sakes; and see, in the agonies of the damned, the miseries He endured! But when the veil shall be taken from our eyes, how marvelous will His love for us appear—and with what acclamations will Heaven resound!
“May you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully! Ephesians 3:18-19.”
2. The duty of those who are under the hidings of his face.
Our enjoyment of Christ’s presence is variable, and often intermitted; but let us not on that account be discouraged. Let us pray, and that too with strong crying and tears; yes, let us expostulate with him, and ask, like Job, “Why do you contend with me? Job 10:2.” But though we say, “The Lord has forsaken me,” let us never add, like the Church of old, “my Lord has forgotten me.” If he hides himself, “it is but for a little moment, that he may gather us with everlasting mercies, Isaiah 54:7-8.” Therefore let us say with Job, “Though he slay me—yet I will trust in him.”
3. The misery of those who are not savingly interested in his atonement.
We see what bitter lamentation sin occasioned in him, who bore the iniquities of others, even though he knew that his sufferings would shortly end. What wailing and gnashing of teeth will they experience, who shall perish under their own personal sin and guilt—when they shall be shut up as monuments of God’s wrath to all eternity! Luke 23:31. O that careless sinners would lay this to heart, while yet a remedy remains, and before they are finally separated from the gracious presence of God by an impassable gulf!
Charles Simeon